Mosque leaders have warned parents to be on their guard against extremism after two Manchester girls jetted to Syria and are believed to have joined terrorist networks.

Twin students Salma and Zahra Halane, 16, from south Manchester, are now believed to be in Syria after flying from Manchester to Turkey two weeks ago.

And Muslim leaders in Greater Manchester have now warned parents who believe a child may be planning to fight in Syria or Iraq to confiscate their passport and inform police.

Officials at the Manchester Somali Islamic Cultural Trust in Moss Side, where the girl’s father is understood to worship, issued a statement opposing extremism.

The mosque said it was ‘shocked and appalled at the girls’ disappearance.

Salma and Zahra’s father is believed to teach Quran lessons there.

The mosque’s committee added: “The centre management would like to state we always enjoy a good partnership and working relationship with the Greater Manchester Police.

“Since its establishment in 1996 MSICT has continued to convey a message of Islamic views promoting peace, harmony and productivity in a way that benefits the whole society.

“It is important to clarify that the centre opposes participation in any violent conflict, regardless of its cause or reason, and have always made this clear.

“We have worked closely with other centres and mosques to promote denouncing of any extremist views and have a firm policy in supporting community cohesion and oppose any criminal or extreme ideologies that contradict the peaceful teachings of Islam.”

And Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadan Foundation, said: “I would urge anyone with information about a family member they believe is planning to travel to fight abroad to confiscate their passport and contact police.

“Anyone going to Syria, Iraq or elsewhere to fight is committing a criminal offence and putting themselves and their family in danger.

“Someone has groomed these girls to radicalise them and make them think what they are going out there to do is a good deed. These organisations - ISIS and Al Qaeda - are evil and barbaric.”

The North West Counter Terrorism Unit today confirmed they have intelligence Salma and Zahra Halane are definitely in Syria after flying from Manchester to Turkey two weeks ago.